Sensation disorders of lateral skin of the incision after total knee arthroplasty / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo investigate the sequelae and relative factors of sensation disorders of lateral skin of the incision after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and to explore its effect on knee function.MethodsThirty-six patients (53 knees) who underwent TKA were continuously selected in this study.The length of the incision and the area of sensation disorders of skin around the incision were measured 1 week postoperatively.The area of sensation disorders of skin around the incision was measured again 1.5 years postoperatively,and the range of motion of the knee and the knee society score (KSS) were recorded.ResultsAll of the patients presented with objective hypesthesia of lateral skin of the incision.Twenty-six (72％) patients existed subjective numbness,whose areas of hypesthesia were larger than those of patients without subjective numbness.The average area of hypopselaphesia and average area of hypalgesia were(36.43±14.71) cm2 and (69.62±23.48) cm2,respectively.Both of them had positive correlation with the length of the incision (r=0.303,P=0.04; r=0.318,P=0.03).One and a half years postoperatively,besides 5 patients recovered completely,all other patients existed no hypopselaphesia,and the average area of hypalgesia was(8.55±4.56)cm2,which was statistically different with that 1 week postoperatively(t=2.553,P=0.012).The KSS score was lower in patients with subjective numbness than that in patients without subjective numbness (t=2.066,P=0.044).ConclusionThe hypesthesia of lateral skin of the incision is common after TKA,which can recover partially or completely over time.All patients should be advised of this complication as part of their informed consent before TKA.